Infusion pump system, an infusion pump unit and an infusion pump

Abstract

An infusion pump unit includes a housing sized to allow the pump unit to be carried as a portable unit. The housing contains a controllable pumping system for pumping fluid. The pump actuator is lighter, smaller, quieter and less power consuming.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An infusion pump device, comprising:
 a portable pump housing defining a space to receive insulin; 
 a user interface coupled to the portable pump housing, the user interface comprising a display device that shows data to a user; 
 a piston rod movably arranged in the housing to advance from a first position to a second position so as to dispense insulin from the pump housing when insulin is received in the pump housing; 
 a gear that is rotatable in an activation direction to drive the piston rod from the first position to the second position; 
 a ratchet body that engages the gear, the ratchet body being adjustable from a non-activating position to an activating position so as to incrementally rotate the gear in the activation direction; 
 a pawl device that engages the gear to prevent rotation of the gear in a direction opposite the activation direction; and 
 a spring bias device to urge the ratchet body from the non-activating position to the activating position so that the piston rod is advanced to the second position by mechanical force of the spring device. 
 
     
     
       2. The infusion pump device of  claim 1 , further comprising an electrically-actuated shape memory device to reset the ratchet body to the non-activating position. 
     
     
       3. The infusion pump device of  claim 2 , wherein the electrically-actuated shape memory device comprises nitinol wire having one end couple to the ratchet body. 
     
     
       4. The infusion pump device of  claim 2 , wherein the shape memory device exerts a reset displacement force upon the ratchet body when electrically actuated so as to reset the ratchet body to the non-activating position. 
     
     
       5. The infusion pump device of  claim 4 , wherein the shape memory device shortens when heated by electrical current so as to exert the reset displacement force upon the ratchet body. 
     
     
       6. The infusion pump device of  claim 4 , wherein the spring bias device is cocked when the shape memory device exerts the reset displacement force upon the ratchet body. 
     
     
       7. The infusion pump device of  claim 6 , wherein the spring bias device exerts an activation displacement force upon the ratchet body in a direction generally opposite the reset displacement force exerted by the shape memory device. 
     
     
       8. The infusion pump device of  claim 1 , wherein the gear comprises a plurality of teeth along the periphery of the gear. 
     
     
       9. The infusion pump device of  claim 8 , wherein the ratchet body engages one or more teeth of the gear. 
     
     
       10. The infusion pump device of  claim 8 , wherein the pawl device engages one or more teeth of the gear. 
     
     
       11. The infusion pump device of  claim 10 , wherein the pawl devices moves from a first locking engagement between on pair of gear teeth to a second locking position between the next pair of gear teeth when the gear rotates in the activation direction. 
     
     
       12. The infusion pump device of  claim 1 , wherein the spring bias device exerts an activation displacement force upon the ratchet body that urges the ratchet body from the non-activating position to the activating position. 
     
     
       13. The infusion pump device of  claim 1 , wherein the spring bias device comprises at least one device selected from the group consisting of a tension spring, a compression spring, a flat spring, and a piston-and-cylinder mechanism. 
     
     
       14. The infusion pump device of  claim 1 , wherein the display device shows data related to insulin treatment. 
     
     
       15. The infusion pump device of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface further comprises one or more buttons for actuation. 
     
     
       16. The infusion pump device of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more buttons comprises an on or off button. 
     
     
       17. The infusion pump device of  claim 1 , further comprising a battery pack disposed in the pump housing. 
     
     
       18. The infusion pump device of  claim 1 , wherein the pump housing defines the space to receive an insulin container. 
     
     
       19. The infusion pump device of  claim 18 , wherein the insulin container is replaceably arranged in the pump housing. 
     
     
       20. The infusion pump of  claim 18 , wherein the insulin container comprises at least one container selected from the group consisting of a cartridge, ampule, and syringe. 
     
     
       21. The infusion pump of  claim 18 , wherein the insulin container is received in the pump housing, further comprising an outlet nozzle extending from the pump housing and in fluid communication with the insulin container. 
     
     
       22. The infusion pump of  claim 21 , further comprising a conduit device connectable to the outlet nozzle. 
     
     
       23. The infusion pump device of  claim 22 , wherein when conduit device is connected between the outlet nozzle and a patient, the conduit device provides fluid communication from the insulin container to the patient. 
     
     
       24. The infusion pump device of  claim 1 , wherein the piston rod is movable in the housing to dispense the insulin from the pump housing in a continuous manner when the insulin is received in the pump housing. 
     
     
       25. The infusion pump device of  claim 1 , wherein the piston rod is movable in the housing to dispense the insulin from the pump housing according to a predetermined sequence when the insulin is received in the pump housing. 
     
     
       26. The infusion pump device of  claim 1 , wherein the gear is indirectly coupled to the piston rod via a gear reduction arrangement. 
     
     
       27. The infusion pump device of  claim 26 , wherein the gear is arranged on a power output shaft that rotates with the gear in the activation direction. 
     
     
       28. The infusion pump device of  claim 27 , wherein the power output shaft is connected to a pinion that rotates with the power output shaft. 
     
     
       29. The infusion pump device of  claim 28 , wherein the pinion is engaged with a driver gear so that rotation of the pinion causes rotation of the driver gear. 
     
     
       30. The infusion pump device of  claim 29 , wherein the piston rod comprises an external thread pattern that mates with an internal thread pattern of the driver gear so that rotation of the driver gear causes linear advancement of the piston rod. 
     
     
       31. An infusion pump device, comprising:
 a portable pump housing defining a space to receive an insulin container; 
 user interface coupled to the pump housing, the user interface comprising a display device that showing data related to insulin treatment and a plurality of buttons for actuation; 
 a piston rod movably arranged in the housing to advance from a first position to a second position so as to dispense insulin from the container when the container is received in the pump housing; 
 a gear that is rotatable in an activation direction to drive the piston rod from the first position to the second position; 
 a ratchet body that engage the gear, the ratchet body being adjustable from a non-activating position to an a activating position so as to incrementally rotate the gear in the activation direction; 
 a locking pawl device that engages the gear to prevent rotation of the gear in a direction opposite the activation direction; and 
 a spring bias device that exerts an activation displacement force upon the ratchet body to urge the ratchet body from the non-activating position to the activating position so that the piston rod is advanced to the second position by mechanical force of the spring device. 
 
     
     
       32. Then infusion pump device of  claim 31 , further comprising an electrically-actuated shape memory device to reset the ratchet body to the non-activating position. 
     
     
       33. The infusion pump device of  claim 32 , wherein the electrically-actuated shape memory device comprises a nitinol wire having one end coupled to the ratchet body. 
     
     
       34. The infusion pump device of  claim 31 , wherein the display device shows timing data. 
     
     
       35. The infusion pump device of  claim 31 , wherein the one or more button comprises an on or off button. 
     
     
       36. The infusion pump device of  claim 31 , wherein the insulin container is received in the pump housing, the insulin container comprising at least one container selected from the group consisting of a cartridge, ampoule, and syringe. 
     
     
       37. The infusion pump device of  claim 31 , wherein the piston rod is movable in the housing to dispense the insulin from the container in a continuous manner when the container is received in the pump housing. 
     
     
       38. The infusion pump device of  claim 31 , wherein the piston rod is movable in the housing to dispense the insulin from the container according to a predetermined sequence when the container is received in the pump housing.